en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Italian National Road Authority (Anas, part of the Italian State Railway Group FS Italiane) launched the construction of the first and second sections of Lot 1 of the Piedmont Foothill Highway (Pedemontana Piemontese) on July 6. The route will connect Masserano in the province of Biella with Ghemme in the province of Novara. The groundbreaking ceremony was held at a camp established in Ghislarengo, province of Vercelli, accompanied by a government meeting.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini, Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Regional Councillor for Strategic Infrastructure and Logistics Enrico Bussalino (delegated by Piedmont Region President Alberto Cirio), and CEO of the Italian National Road Authority Claudio Andrea Gemme attended the meeting. The session began with a welcome speech by the Mayor of Ghislarengo, Martina Rinolfi, followed by technical presentations from Christian Calzolari, Head of the Piedmont and Aosta Valley Regional Structure of the Italian National Road Authority, and Nicola Meistro, Senior Vice President of Webuild.
The project plans to construct a new route approximately 15 kilometers long, connecting the SS758 road in Masserano to the A26 motorway in Ghemme, with a total investment of about €384.5 million. The works will be carried out by Webuild and its subsidiary Cossi Costruzioni. The new route will cross the three provinces of Biella, Vercelli, and Novara, involving seven municipalities: Masserano, Brusnengo, Roasio, Lozzolo, Gattinara, Romagnano Sesia, and Ghemme.
The new route will be built to Class B "extraurbana principale" (main suburban road) standards, consisting of two carriageways separated by a central median, each with two lanes in both directions, for a total width of 22 meters. Four interchanges are planned along the route to connect with Masserano, Roasio, Gattinara, and the A26 motorway in the municipality of Ghemme. Additionally, six road bridges over existing roads, six underpasses, and six river bridges will be constructed, including an 820-meter-long bridge over the Sesia River. Construction will begin with the Sesia River bridge, with a contract completion time of 4 years and 6 months.
Piedmont Region President Alberto Cirio and Regional Councillor for Strategic Infrastructure and Logistics Enrico Bussalino stated that the start of this work represents a historic moment for the region. After years of waiting, this infrastructure has entered the implementation phase, confirming the government's and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport's commitment to strategic projects. The region has established a Support Committee for the Piedmont Foothill Highway as a permanent coordination platform, involving provinces, municipalities, and all relevant stakeholders to address key issues and share necessary solutions in support of project execution.
This project is part of a broader road network initiative connecting the A4 Turin-Milan motorway in Santhià with the A26 Genoa-Gravellona Toce motorway in Ghemme. Claudio Andrea Gemme, CEO of the Italian National Road Authority, stated that the construction of this highway is a key step for the entire national infrastructure system, helping to enhance the competitiveness of regions already integrated into the European production and logistics context. This achievement results from intensive planning efforts and continuous collaboration among all relevant institutions, making it possible to reach the necessary consensus and give substance to this long-awaited project.
